Marine and Composites Industry Career Day

The 9th Annual Marine & Composites Industry Career Day takes place on March 22 at the IYRS Newport (RI) campus. This free one-day event, hosted by IYRS School of Technology & Trades and the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association (RIMTA), gives employers an opportunity to connect with career seekers. This spring is expected to be one of the busiest in the boating business in recent years. But just as the marine industry continues its post-recession rebound, there is a shortage of skilled employers to fuel the marine workforce.

A skills-gap study being conducted for RIMTA* projects that this trend is not going away any time soon. By 2020, Rhode Island’s marine industry will need to hire an additional 1800 workers; 71% of those projected hires are baby boomers who are aging out of the workforce and taking their well-honed skills with them. Although a challenge for the industry, the situation translates to opportunity for skilled workers.

A total of 36 companies from eight states are attending this year’s Career Day (see list below), and the 2014 event has drawn companies from the largest geographic area in the event’s history.

Career Day attendees can learn about career and training opportunities, attend seminars, and meet employers and industry leaders. Admission is free. The event is designed for individuals at all stages of their careers – from those just considering working in the marine and composites industries, to highly skilled individuals looking for new opportunities.

Please see below for more details.

WHAT
Marine & Composites Industry Career Day, hosted by the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association (RIMTA) and IYRS

WHEN
Saturday, March 22 / 10:30 AM to 1 PM

WHERE
IYRS School of Technology & Trades (449 Thames Street, Newport, R.I.)

SEMINARS & TOURS
Free seminars with experts and tours of the IYRS campus will be held during the event, according to the following schedule:

10:30 AM / TOUR
IYRS campus tour and admissions overview for prospective students.

11 AM / SEMINAR
“Navigating Your Job Search in Today’s Economy” with Neal Harrell, Brooks Marine Group

12 PM / SEMINAR
“Diversification of the Boatbuilding Industry and the Skills Needed to Succeed in a Changing Environment” with Neal Williamson, Hodgdon Yachts

NEW TRAINING CENTER
For individuals who have a passion for boats but lack the requisite training, Career Day organizers have launched a Training Center where attendees can talk with trade schools such as MTTI and IYRS, gather information on programs coordinated by RIMTA, and even meet with New York-based Oakcliff Sailing School, a unique organization led by world-class racer Dawn Riley where students can learn to compete in and manage grand-prix racing campaigns.

Many programs give individuals quick access to jobs, such as the six-month Composites Technology and Marine Systems programs at IYRS, the 30-week Marine Service Technician program at MTTI, or the 5.5-week Marine Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program coordinated by RIMTA with area schools and businesses. Funded by an Innovative Partnership grant from the Governor’s Workforce Board RI, there is no cost to participants taking the pre-apprenticeship program; the next session is slated for this summer.

COMPANIES ATTENDING
Boatwise Marine Training School (South Hampton, N.H.)
Boston Boat Works (Boston, Mass.)
Bravo Marine Associates (Riverside, R.I.)
Brewer-Greenwich Bay Marina (Warwick, R.I.)
Brewer Street Boatworks (Newport, R.I.)
Brooks Marine Group (Newport, R.I.)
Canvasbacks (Wickford, R.I.)
Cay Electronics (Portsmouth, R.I.)
Clean Bays (Newport, R.I.)
Clear Carbon and Components (Bristol, R.I.)
Conanicut Marine (Jamestown, R.I.)
Confident Captain/Ocean Pros (Newport, R.I.)
Derecktor (Mamoroneck, N.Y.)
East Passage Boatwrights (Bristol, R.I.)
Electric Boat Corporation (North Kingstown, R.I.)
Front Street Shipyard (Belfast, Maine)
Great Bay Community College (Portsmouth, N.H.)
Gunboat (Wanchese, N.C.)
Headsync LLC (Newport, R.I.)
Hodgdon Yachts (East Boothbay, Maine)
Irish Boat Shop (Harbor Springs, Mich.)
IYRS (Newport & Bristol, R.I.)
Jamestown Distributors (Bristol, R.I.)
Maritime Solutions (Portsmouth, R.I.)
Merritt’s Boat & Engine Works (Pompano Beach, Fla.)
MTTI (Seekonk, Mass.)
New England Boatworks (Portsmouth, R.I.)
Oakcliff Sailing Center (Oyster Bay, N.Y.)
Ocean Link (Portsmouth, R.I.)
Oldport Marine Services (Newport, R.I.)
Oliver Hazard Perry (Newport, R.I.)
RIMTA (Bristol, R.I.)
Roger Williams University (Bristol, R.I.)
The Hinckley Company (Portsmouth, R.I.)
Tradesmen International (North Kingstown, R.I.)
Tri-Mack (Bristol, R.I.)

ADMISSION
Admission is free. Pre-registration is not required but is recommended; a registration link can be found at www.iyrs.edu/careerday.

MORE INFORMATION:
www.iyrs.edu/careerday // 401-848-5777 ext 16